


It's Been A Long, Long time.

by Conchita



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Bittersweet Ending, Feelings, Fix-It, M/M, Minor Character Death, They talk about NSFW for a small brief moment in chapter 3 so there's a heads up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-08-29
Packaged: 2020-02-10 11:56:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18659956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Conchita/pseuds/Conchita
Summary: It will be okay. We can finally rest now.





	1. Please Come Back.

**Author's Note:**

> I STAN ENDGAME BTW I JUST DONT STAN THE LAST 10 MINUTES. 
> 
> This is for Naf, regardless of how fucking annoying it was of my complaining on whatever the fuck crackhead ending Gay Joe Russo and Homophobe Anthony Russo gave us, she listened and actually considered my version of Steve's perfect ending
> 
> I used two phrases from her with just a little change in words ((: 
> 
> Alot of MCU details I have changed, I will start a mini series to elaborate the changes (esp the team) 
> 
> Uuuuuh also peep the analyzation I did of the Hellicarier scene in TWS. It's my favorite scene in the MCU and I take it to heart. In this fic I wrote what it means to me. 
> 
> Follow my twitter: @the2017oscars  
> Tumblr: oscars2017
> 
> Spoilers ofc

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad theories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thought too hard on this shit, Disney pay me

Steve stood in front of the machine platform, staring at the briefcase in his best friend Sam's hand. You could guess he was feeling a mix of nerves but a drop of confidence.

That day, he was at Natasha's funeral. Being there brought upon mixed emotions for the whole group but remembering family was sweet enough. 

Clint went home to have dinner with his daughter (and to replace his hearing aid because the one he had before was destroyed in battle), Thor, as silly as it looked, flew to Norway with Valkyrie and Loki to discuss very special news in regards to New Asgard's future, Tony took Morgan and Happy out for ice cream, and Bruce just wanted to take a nap now again being in his old body.

And there stood Steve. Steve with loved ones Sam and Bucky, ready to complete his last mission.

"You ready, Steve?" Sam asked as he handed Steve the fragile briefcase. Steve smiled then looked at the lake. "Yea." 

Was Steve scared? Well, what reason would he have to be afraid? He had the battle of his life, He lost someone he saw as a sister, and he might be scarred for the rest of his life. This was nothing.

It's not like anything crazy, even. Anything he does will affect the second timeline, which was referred previously as a "Second Dimension" by Bruce.

This "Second Dimension" had to be a mess. I mean, a lot of things were messed with. Thanks to the reasonable frustration of retrieving the Tesseract, they had to hop through six different periods in time. 

The alterations were immense. From Loki escaping with the Tesseract to Hydra thinking Captain America is one of them. Even Steve from The Battle Of New York knows two years beforehand that Bucky is alive. 

But out of all the shit that was changed, Steve still had something in his mind, in his memory but not Bucky's.

Steve could not stop thinking about Bucky's face when he kissed him before seeking the Tesseract. 

When he, Tony, and Scott traveled to the 40s to retrieve it. 

Steve ached standing in front of Bucky, fully knowing that this was the moment he rescued him from captivity. 

The encounter went by fast. It was just a couple quick words then a passionate kiss. Bucky being startled but never pulling away. 

This was the only time Steve could kiss Bucky without doubt from either parties. 

Steve didn't care if Tony and Scott were watching, he didn't care who was watching. This could be the last or only time he could see his Bucky, so let it be the kissed he desired. 

This time he is about to go into the portal, desiring again to kiss him. 

Bucky smirked and moved towards Steve, his fear was obvious in the smile but he was more optimistic none less. Something he learned from Steve.

A huge part of Bucky still regrets not giving in at the airport. Mostly because Steve must have been humiliated in front of his colleagues, it was awkward at best but the other part because he is afraid for Steve's well being.

Bucky never learned how this timeline thing works. He could guess that It's just going back in time and that scared Bucky.

Bucky trusts Steve. Especially after Steve treated Bucky with the same respect and appreciation after he had tried to murder him. Even when Bucky repaid him by rejecting his kiss right before the Civil War few years ago.

At the instant he woke up in that helicarrier, on top of Steve, immediately confused on why was he there or was everything in shambles, he knew Steve will still be with him. He could not even make out right away what had happened but he knew. 

Between whether he thought it was romantic or platonic in the moment, he could not forget the undeniable love radiating through Steve's eyes as he stared up at him, stared up at his face, not the closed metal fist ready to end his life. 

It was incredible that someone who is not who he knew before, someone who is a mass murderer, an assassin for Hydra, killed so many innocent lives; is on top of Steve, about to kill him. Known that if Bucky had killed Steve in that exact moment, America would have been doomed. So many people would have died.

It's just.

Steve was going to let Bucky kill him. 

Bucky always thought it was selfish. Steve swore to protect the world by putting it first out of all things. If Bucky hadn't broken out the trance, Steve would of died willingly, without a fight, and everyone would have died. 

Foolish.

Steve thinks of it as him putting Bucky first than himself but Bucky knew that Steve thinking about him was just him still thinking about himself. 

He was thinking about his love for him. Steve let this man beat the shit out of him because he loved him.

That is a mass murderer. A terrorist. Yet because that's also Bucky he was going to let it all end. Because "I'm with you till the end of the line." 

They both always used that phrase to make promises of their friendship. Sure, it sounded like some honorary friendly "Ride Or Die" but both of them knew what it meant.

In that horrifying scene, where Steve is about to pass out, not knowing if he would wake up, said the phrase. Meaning every bit of it.

How he meant it, how he always meant it was; "I am willing to let you kill me, to die just as long as you are here with me. No matter who you've become and what you've done. Under any circumstances, I want to die with you. Because I am with you, I am okay with dying. Always." 

America could have been fucked that day. 

And because of a single phrase; Bucky's almost one hundred year trance was broken. Because of the love behind the quote, the history.

When Bucky was on top of Steve, staring at him in awe, there's memories flipping through his head. Moments where they laughed, moments where they cried. All had in common is that they would end with them holding each other.

"Bucky, I'll be right back" Steve assured, noticing the discomfort in Bucky's tone.

Bucky again, smiled at that. Trust wasn't an issue here but…..

Steve came forward to pull Bucky in a tight hug, similar to the one he gave Sam earlier. He did not embrace him too much just to give Bucky his space. After what happened in Russia, he was not too sure what Bucky wanted anymore. He wasn't too sure what Bucky felt anymore. 

Bucky fell into the hug, expression changing, ideas forming in his head. His mind repeating "Please come back, please come back, please come back, please come back."

When Steve pulled away he sighed, staring at the man waiting in the side.

"Don't do anything stupid until I get back" Steve grinned with his hand on Bucky's shoulder. Bucky chuckled a little.

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you" Bucky would be lying if he said he wasn't massively hoping Steve wouldn't make an idiotic decision while in there, but aside from that, reprising the exchange was nice. 

Steve laughed out loud and it put even more hope in Bucky's head. 

If Steve did not come back, Bucky would not know what to do. 

"Come on Steve, make your dumbass decision of not fighting me back be worth it" Bucky pleaded to himself. 

It was time for Steve to go. He stepped up onto the platform and shaked all the anxiety off his body. He nodded at Sam which was the cue to turn on the machine. 

Sam turned it on and smiled at Steve. He put his arm around Bucky and they both watched Steve disappear. 

Sam checked his watch, timing Steve's absence. Bucky stared forward. Heart pounding but face unresponsive. 

"Five, four, three, two, one… one….. one" 

Sam kept checking his watch, about to become frantic with panic. Bucky remained unresponsive. Tears starting to dwell. He prayed for this not to happen. 

He prayed for Steve to not ever leave him since the damn moment he gained his conscience. 

This could be pay back. Steve had to watch Bucky go three times. But Bucky didn't mean it. Steve could have not planned this. The tears started to build up faster as his heart rate rushed. 

End of the li- 

"Bucky. Look" Sam nudged Bucky and Bucky turned at what Sam was looking. 

In front of the river there was a bench, both men did not pay mind to it until now. 

Sam looked at Bucky and gestured to come with him. Sam put his hand on Bucky's back as they walked towards the bench. 

As they got closer, Bucky got stuck in his tracks, several feet behind the bench. Sam walked to the side. 

"Sam" a familiar voice spoke from the bench. Bucky watched Sam talk to the bench. He was sorta making out the conversation. He didn't fully get it until the bench handed Sam Captain America's shield. Sam held it then looked at Bucky. Bucky gave him a small nod. He deserved this.

Sam smiled a toothy grin, excitement and overwhelment obvious. Sam then sat on the bench, sitting next to something that now came to Bucky was the body of a man.

Sam looked behind himself on the bench and gestured Bucky with his head to come sit beside the man. 

Bucky gulped silently and came forward. He sat beside the man. 

Bucky did not want to look at him. Bucky hated surprises negative or not. He stared at the lake. 

He noticed a pair of eyes was on him so he just shut his eyes. He heard the man's body start shuffling and he shut his eyes harder. He did not want to look at this man.

He felt a calloused hand take an almost hovering hold of his chin, turning Bucky's head calmly. Bucky was now facing the man. He felt another hand, obviously belonging to Sam, rub his arm.

Bucky… opened his eyes, not prepared for the two pools of blue looking at him. 

"Hope you weren't thinking I actually brought all the stupid with me" Steve smiled at Bucky. Looking the exact same he did when he left. The adoration in his eyes becoming clearer this time.

Bucky did not know what to say at that. Just the flutter in his chest and sigh of relief that he is looking at his Steve.

Bucky gave Steve an appreciative smile and finally opened his mouth to speak. 

"What did you do when you saw him?" Bucky asked, hoping Steve would understand what Bucky meant by "Him".

Steve turned to the lake. "I let him ask me what he wanted" Steve glanced at Bucky when he said "Him".

Bucky's eyes widened at that and his lips parted. Almost instantly after the gesture he spoke again. 

"Did you give it to him?" Bucky shifted just a little forward. 

Steve pursed his lips and looked down. He glanced at Bucky's ring finger. "Yes".

He looked up to Bucky and watched his reaction.

Bucky at that had a tear rolling down his blank face. He doesn't know how, but he remembers. It's slight, and It's only one memory, but he remembers. 

He remembered when he was waiting in silence for Steve to come back. He thought it was an imagination, a daydream he wanted to happen.

Bucky wiped the singular tear off his face once it rolled to his neck. He sniffed and smiled. It wasn't forced.

"I'm glad he can have a happy ending" he returned the look Steve was giving him.

Bucky rested his head on Steve's shoulder, Steve welcoming the gesture.

Sam then put an arm around both of them and they all watched the wildlife harmonizing through the lake. 

Steve knew that this Bucky could not be able to go through with the life he wanted, at least not at the moment. When he arrived at the second timeline, all he wanted was to make him happy, not to make the same mistakes before. 

He wanted to give Bucky the life he wanted. When Bucky made his request, he obliged. 

No matter what timeline, Steve knew it was all going to be okay. Their love is so strong that if it cannot work out here they had to try again somewhere else.

Despite being in a whole other dimension, their love was so potent that Bucky even feels it here too. The moment Steve reached Bucky in the other timeline, Bucky was feeling what they were doing. He was seeing it in his head and all he thought it was just his hopes. 

Their love transcended. 

Bucky hummed against Steve's shoulder. Eyes half lidded. 

He did not try to kiss Steve on the bench. Whatever happens in that other timeline happens and he is satisfied with just that.

He knows one day he and Steve will live their lives like that, no matter how it goes. He waits on the bench and is happy he still has everything. 

Bucky let his eyes rest. "So what did you do with him?" he yawned. He let the memory that did not belong to him flow through his mind. 

"We danced."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nuthin much tee hee 'v'


	2. Saw You Again.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It didn't matter where he was, he could not let this mistake remain unfixed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the situation Steve recalled to in the first chapter, about seeing Bucky in the 40s. It's a short scene (:
> 
> I kind of tried to explain moreof the scientific fictional logic behind why Steve came back to the OG timeline not old but y'know It's kinda crackhead but uh give me the credit, Russos literally said "beep beep boop bitch" explaining time travel and expected us to roll with it.
> 
> They didn't explain shit!

“Steve-” Bucky stared at Steve in awe. He was so- big? 

“Bucky” Steve did not know what to say. He did not plan to see Bucky when they travelled here but he’d be lying if he hadn’t had the idea of seeing him in his mind.

This was the second time period they’ve travelled to. They lost track of the Tesseract because Loki got away. They decided to come to the 40s and retrieve it from Hydra. Steve knew Bucky was here but he never really would of thought this was the moment he had saved Bucky from captivity.

Well, Bucky escaping from captivity.

How this worked was, the second timeline was an alternate dimension. Since it was never travelled to, things are exactly the same to their own dimension. The pros of this was that if they made big changes, it would only affect that timeline, not their own. That gave them a free canvas to do all they wanted, not really feeling guilty of the chaos they could leave behind.

In this timeline, it seems Steve didn’t save Bucky, or Bucky just saved himself before Steve arriving. It was confusing but he didn’t have to cut Bucky out some restraints.

Steve had Tony and Scott right behind him, but they’re hiding behind a corner. When they heard the footsteps of Bucky’s boots they panicked and turned beside a wall. Steve stayed put, anticipating who he thought it was.

“Bucky, listen.” Steve did not hesitate grabbing his shoulders. “This will not make sense. I am who you think I am, and you would not believe when I tell you…” Steve looked behind him to check if Tony and Scott could be listening. He’s pretty sure they could, Tony shook his head at him but Steve could not give a damn.

“I am-” Steve paused.

“We might not see eachother in a long, long, time” Steve starred intensely into his eyes. Bucky was confused, and terrified on what the hell was going on.

“Whatever you do Buck, do not follow me. If you can find an exit, escape. You hear me? Run, and warn the troops. You cannot go with me. You understand?” Steve almost shook him. Bucky had his jaw hanging open as he examined Steve’s body.

“Buck, what’s wrong?” Steve noticed the fear. 

Bucky could barely stutter out an answer. He was choking on his words. Steve’s worry got worse.

“Bucky, can you hear me? Speak to me, why are you looking at me like that?” Steve took Bucky’s face in his hands. Steve was starting to get the feeling Bucky was in shock not because of his muscles. 

Bucky’s confusion and terror translating through his expression, brought Steve’s heart rate to three thousand. It’s as if Bucky didn’t…..

Wait.

Steve got an idea in his head. One he did not like. No no no no no.

No no no no no.

“Bucky, what happened to me?” He got insanely close to him. The grip on his cheeks becoming harder. 

Bucky moved a shaking arm. When Steve saw he was moving, he gave him space. Bucky went through his pockets, taking out a folded paper, covered in the blood on his pants.

“To the family of Steven Grant Rogers.” Bucky began, finally get out words. His hands were trembling as he held the paper to read it.

“We are sorry to say that Rogers had been deceased when partaking in a consensual training exercise yesterday afternoon.” 

Oh my god. 

Steve’s chest felt a punch. His heart sunk. Those bastards- that was not an “exercise” it was a government experiment!

“Again we apologize, Rogers was a great man. His braveness and courage contrasting his figure” Bucky went on. Those assholes.

“We hope you have received the flowers we had sent separately. Our condolences.” Bucky choked out a sob. He recovered from it and wiped the tears forming around his eyes quickly. “Your mom received this note three months ago” Bucky hesitantly held it out to Steve. Steve took it quickly and examined it.

Flowers? All they gave my mother were flowers?

Oh god, this was a lot. His first explanation for this coming to mind was; the screw ups in the timeline. 

Damnit!

Okay, at least this wasn’t his Bucky. 

But it was still Bucky regardless. He made a vow for it. Bucky argued it was dumb and foolish but; no matter who it is, if It’s Bucky, It’s the end of the line.

End of the line, not some stupid brotherhood promise made at a summer camp. End of the line meaning; "I am willing to let you kill me, to die just as long as you are here with me. No matter who you've become and what you've done. Under any circumstances, I want to die with you. Because I am with you, I am okay with dying. Always."

Always. 

Steve needed to find a way to fix this. 

This Bucky would have to live a miserable life because of him. 

Bucky coughed and that slapped Steve back into reality. Bucky was sniffing, tears dry in his face. Steve needed to think something quick, their time was running out.

“Bucky. I’m going to make this alright, okay?” Steve grabbed his hand. “I’m so sorry I did this.”

Bucky still was confused about all of this. 

“I know you have a lot of questions, all of them I can’t really answer-” Steve side eyed the corner where Tony and Scott were watching them. 

“Understand that.. Buck, I love you. I love love you, like a guy would love his dame” Steve grabbed bucky’s other hand, Bucky looked at his hands in Steve’s hold.

“This.. may be the last time we ever see each other. Maybe the only time and I-” Steve looked into the tense of Bucky’s hands. He hopes this won't be like in Siberia.

Here I go.

He took Bucky’s face and kissed him with sweet passion. Bucky was startled but never pulled away. Good. 

Bucky took grab of Steve’s hair, returning the passion. They grabbed at each other as if they were going to be forced to let go.

Which they were.

After a minute, Steve pulled away harshly. They both took that moment to breath. 

If that did not encourage Steve to try and make things better for him than he doesn’t know what.

Steve and Bucky rested their foreheads on each other, breathing heavily some more.

They were running out of time, so steve had to regrettably let go. It was painful. 

Steve knew at that moment what he was going to do. First he had to finish this mission but he was certain he will come back. 

He will not let Bucky lose him like he lost Bucky.

Steve could recall some words from Bruce. Things along the lines of being able to take a dead person’s place in the second timeline, staying there for longer than 10 seconds disrupting the continuity and undoing the person’s death.

Steve knew what he had to do. 

Steve caressed Bucky’s stubbled face and Bucky grabbed his arm. “Go.” Bucky removed his hand from his face. Steve knew this was not a gesture of neglect, but of acceptance of saying goodbye. 

Steve nodded at him. “I’ll see you around, Buck” Steve wanted to hug him.

Bucky did not go to hug him, he just nodded. Steve nodded at him one more time and turned to leave. As Steve took a couple steps, he turned around to find Bucky gone.

Sigh. 

Things will not stay this way. I promise.

Steve stood a front Scott and Tony. Tony putting a hand on his shoulder and smirking faintly. Scott patted Steve on the back.“You doing alright there, Cap?” Tony rubbed his shoulder.

Steve gave them appreciative smiles and turned the other way.

“Yea. So this is where the Tesseract is-”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow my twitter @quilloki for more, if ya'll don't flop this, I will continue with this fix-it series (: I had started my fix-it for Thor's happy ending and it may involve thorbruce and Loki in some rairpairs~
> 
> Do not be afraid to leave a comment, please know that every time I get one, even if It's a fucking keysmash, I scream. So make me scream please


	3. He turned out fine.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky is happy? Without.... Steve?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! First, Bucky's White Wolf outfit looks like this https://twitter.com/kevinwada/status/1115272001629769728 I love Kevin's design, It's such an homage to the original comic Bucky outfit but also improved to fit Bucky's former status. I really hope the MCU get's creative and let's Bucky look like that for The Falcon & Winter Solder series. 
> 
> So now that's out of the say, we get to see how Bucky held up in this alternate timeline where Steve had died before he could become Captain America and Bucky survived Hydra and became America's first Avenger.
> 
> Forgive that this is not as emotional or serious than the first two chapters. In fact, it's very dumb.
> 
> They talk about gay porn for a sec here, so a warning
> 
> The last chapter aaaaaa
> 
> I put in a lil easter egg in there for anyone who's in the marvel server :)

"God, who knew things would look so different?" Scott glanced around just to be shush'd by Steve and Tony. A lot has happened since they left the 2012 timeline to travel elsewhere to retrieve the Tesseract. First, they went to the 50's and failed to get the cube because Red Skull took it to space with him. Second, 90's, and the 'cat' simply wouldn't budge in giving the cube to them, and they had to go once Nick Fury came into the picture. Third, 2017, and Hela was.... Hela. No way they would have gotten out of there alive and with the space stone. Fourth, they even went to 2018 to get it from Thanos but God damn it that didn't even work. They also tried the 70's, Howard Stark found out about their scheme, total failure.

Their last resort... back to 2012. A moment before Loki left with the cube. Why didn't nobody think of that sooner.

They arrived to the familiar moment in time, and things really did look different. SHIELD was totally not itself, more renovated, and new faces. And there was a shield! Over the sky! Tony Stark, that son of a bitch did it. 

But the most different thing had to be the Avengers. Entirely different people?

First it was Hope Van Dyne aka The Wasp, she seemed to be the leader and founder. Then Captain Marvel, so she's not busy in space in this timeline huh? Faces like Rhodey and Sam seemed to have joined the Avengers early. Wait- Loki is an Avenger? Holy shit!

Then-

"Bucky?" Steve could not believe his eyes when he saw Bucky walking around the headquarters. He had back around his eyes like a mask, and a white and black body suit. His hair was short as ever and he seemed to still have an artificial arm. 

"Shit! We arrived at the day AFTER the battle of New York" Tony pointed out as the big SHIELD HQ screen had the date big and bold. "It's not like it matters though, I mean Loki clearly didn't cause it.. here" Scott watched as Loki sat on an attractive man's desk, clearly flirting.

Steve snapped out of his trance and thought of what to do. "Okay, Hydra must have the Tesseract already so you two move out and look for Rumlow and his crew" Steve looked around. "I think I should stay put, I am way too recognizable.." He glanced at Bucky. 

Tony looked at Steve then to who he was starring it. He wanted to say something but no, save it for later. "They will surely recognize me though, I seem to be VERY famous since y'know... the shield" Tony trailed off. Shit, he was right.

"Yea, and Hope's right there, what if she already knows me in this timeline?" Scott pointed at the other group of Avengers. 

Steve was trying to think, this is all too much. "Okay, pretend to be yourselves then."

"What?" "Rogers, you've got to be kidding me" Both Tony and Scott said at the same time as Steve rubbed his temple. "I know! I know.. it sounds insane, but there shouldn't be a problem with it. If they ask you about stuff, say you have a headache and can't think about anything. And if this all goes wrong we could always just time-hop again. It's no big deal"

.... Tony glanced around and cursed to himself. "Fine Rogers, but if this doesn't work I SWEAR I'm leaving you here." Scott nodded in agreement, trying to look as stern and serious but failing.

Steve swallowed and nodded.

After they all started up a plan, they were ready to go their separate way- 

"Tony? Is that you?" Pepper called out from the middle of the quarters. Tony prayed to himself before getting up from the hiding he was crouched in "Pepper!"

Once Tony had gone to talk to Pepper, Scott nodded at Steve before running out to the back.

Steve was on his own.

He crawled out the main quarters, sneaking past Agents. This place is so much bigger in this dimension. Steve finally arrived at what he thought could be the break-room. He looked around to see if there was any more rooms labeled, he needed to find the lab. But that wasn't his big goal at the moment because he heard voices nearby. Steve went into a panic as he searched the whole area for a place to hide.

Steve was resorted to hiding in the closet in the pantry. He’s pretty large so there was no doubt it was uncomfortable. He heard two familiar voices drawing closer so he shifted back into the tight space and shut the door.

“Good job out there on our first fuck-around, jackass” Bucky walked into the coffee table area, giving Sam a hard pat on the shoulder then took his eye mask off to rub under his eyes. “You work the shield well.”

Steve’s heart rate started to increase.

“Ah..heh” Sam kind of laughed that off, before giving an intense look at the shield he had left on the table.

Increasing. More.

“Something's wrong, say it” Bucky spoke with his mouth full of donut. Sam shook him off with a flick of his wrist. “Say it now, or you’re paying the bills this month.”

“I’d have to do that anyway, you don’t pay bills for shit” Sam was seeming to try and take control of the conversation, but he seemed pretty pissed about paying bills. 

“I payed for the water bill.”

“Two years ago-”

“OKAY! Yea, I won’t pay but that doesn’t matter right now. Something’s wrong and I'm a nosy shithead but above that I’m your friend” Bucky winced jokingly as he said “friend.”

Steve wondered how they’d become friends, it’s an odd coincidence, or more so a hard chance of this happening without Steve’s influence. They don’t hate each other but they’re not too fond of each other's habits or ways of expressing themselves either. They argue. A lot.

Sam stared at Bucky’s dumb idiot face for a while before sighing. “I just don’t think it right.. You know, you sure I can do this? They got me being ‘Captain America’, an American icon. And last time I checked, this bitch-ass country tried to Boycott the White House for electing a black president. Imagine a black national hero? Representing America? It ain’t right. I don’t want to deal with all the shit.”

Steve’s heart sunk.

Bucky swallowed the food before speaking to not ruin the seriousness of the moment. “I’m sorry for being clueless, Sam. I didn’t know you felt this way.”

“Yea and let alone, everyone thinks it’s you who should be Captain America” Sam looked down at his coffee mug in his hands. Bucky’s eyes narrowed and he stood up straight, “What the fuck? Don’t say that shit Sam, I know I made the right decision. I’ve made.. Very questionable choices in my goddamn career but this is NOT one.”

If they were having a discussion, Steve could take this time to leave, but something about this conversation wasn’t letting him. He was.. Intrigued.

“Oh come on man, Bucky Barnes, American Hero, saved the country by phenomenally escaping captivity. Saving the country by giving his own life. Managed to keep on going even when he lost an arm. Being the oldest living man in the USA. Steve Roger’s best friend.” Sam waved his hands, emphasizing his words.

Best friend, Steve thought.

“Sam. You. Are. Captain America. You are the most loyal, heroic, and strong-hearted man I’ve ever seen. There’s a reason I couldn’t fill that role. And Steve Rogers? That man would have agreed. And it pains me that you can’t see this.” Bucky gripped Sam’s shoulders, staring intensely into his eyes. “Sam, I can’t be Captain America. Because that’s what YOU are.”

Now it was silence, maybe Steve should go now.

Sam bit the inside of his cheek as he thought about all of this. After a moment, Bucky released his shoulders from his grip. It was quiet for a while.

“You get me?” Bucky spoke as he threw away his napkin, the bastard actually threw his own trash away for once.

“Yea, I feel you.” Sam smirked faintly. 

“Good. And just a bonus; I don’t think I would be able to wear that suit or even hold the shield anyways, I don’t like red that much, and I’d start crying or something” Bucky awkwardly joked. “Yea, aha, because he was your baby daddy?” Sam retorted.

Oh dear.

“PFFFTTHE FUCK?” Bucky shook his head quickly as he turned from the table. “Uh no. Stop reading articles on the internet, Sam.”

“Man, come on. Everybody knows y'all were giving each other sugar in that small apartment you had.”

“That’s a conspiracy theory. And I am here to say, it ain’t true. At all.”

“You’re gay.”

“YOU’RE gay.”

“I am” Sam smirked. Bucky didn’t know what to say after that.

Steve had mixed emotions about all of this. One, Bucky denying their love, making him self conscious. Two, that there is a conspiracy theory about their relationship. Three, Sam is gay, which is something Steve did not know at all.

“Well, man. It’s okay if it’s true. People might not take it well, especially Americans, but who cares? It’s what you just taught me.” Sam poured himself some more coffee. 

“Yea yea” Bucky flipped him off. 

“Ey! What I do? Damn, and I thought I was the down one today.” Sam put his hands up. 

“Even if I was gay, why would it matter? It’s not like I would be getting ‘some’ anyways” Bucky played with the straw that was lying on the table.

Steve was not amused even if he should be.

“And I wonder why? You smell like weed, smoke, and hot car. Your apartment is disgusting. You shower in body spray.” 

Steve winced.

“Shut the fuck up, Sam.”

“Yet, I am correct, white boy. And let’s not forget when I caught you jacking off to gay porn in the back seat of your 2004 Toyota that smells like hot sticky pennies.”

Steve winced some more, he remembered he used to curse Bucky for his cursed habits.

“IT WASN’T GAY PORN!” Bucky got up from his seat, crushing the straw he was playing with.

“YO, I SAW TWO DUDES ON YOUR SCREEN, AND I’M PRETTY SURE ONE WAS POUNDING INTO THE OTHER.”

“IT WAS AN AD-” “YOU HAD YOUR HAND IN YOUR PANTS JERKING YOUR DICK OFF TO AN AD?”

Well this certainly wasn't awkward for steve. He cringed way too hard.

“Sam, shut up. You’re making me mad.” Bucky shoved himself back into his seat, chair making a noise.

“Damn, white boy mad? Better hide the guns-” “Sam, STOP!”

Silence. 

Steve wondered what Bucky's face looked like right now.

“Alright. Sorry. Don’t regret anything that I said and you know that. But to continue, it’s okay that you loved Steve, it’s okay that you’re gay. Or bi, sorry.” Sam put his cup in the washer.

“Gay.” Bucky finally spoke.

“What?”

Bucky sighed, “I’m gay.” 

Steve smiled to himself. That's his boy.

Sam stood there, taking time to think about it. “Good for you. I love you, man. Know that. I’m here for you.”

“Thanks Sam, I love you too.” Bucky smirked at him in appreciation.

Then there was another awkward silence. Steve shifted a little in the closet to try and get himself loose from his position just in case they'd leave and he can escape.

"Hey, I have a question." Sam turned around to look at Bucky. "I might have an answer" Bucky ran his white metal hand through his short hair.

"Was he a good kisser?" 

Steve stuck his face into his arm after hearing that.

"Who?"  
"Steve Rogers."  
"Sam-"  
"I just want to know! Everyone says he wasn't that experience in that.. game."

Oh god.

Bucky stared at him with a stern face. "I'm going to go take a nap."

"At least I'm not asking if he was a virgin!" Sam argued and Bucky almost tripped out of his seat. Laughter heard immediately after.

Steve surprisingly smirked. He was no virgin. And he knew the intense blush Bucky was having at the moment. 

"Okay man, but I'm sorry you had to lose the love of your life. I cannot imagine how you were after he died." Sam rinsed his cup.

"He's not dead." 

"What?" Sam called over the sink running.

"Steve didn't die-" "Not this again." "He's not dead!" 

Sam put his cup to dry "Bucky, the therapist said t-" "That therapist doesn't know shit!" 

Sam sighed. "You were grieving. It's normal for people to see their dead loved ones." 

"It was real! I saw him and he spoke and he kissed and-" Bucky paused as he narrowed his expression "He told me he would fix things!" 

Sam made his way towards Bucky to soothe him down. "Bucky, it's okay-" Sam pulled him into an embrace "He was alive, Sam!" He petted his hair "Bucky-" "I saw him!" "Alright, Bucky." He shushed him "Sam-" "It's alright." 

Steve felt awful. It was hard picturing his Bucky waking up everyday in hopes of seeing Steve fulfill his promise. 

"Besides, even if he was, wouldn't he have aged and died by now? I know he could still be around, old, but.." Sam trailed off until his thought was interrupted. "I'd hate to see him old."

Steve thought hard about that.

They let go of each other, Sam went to go collect his shield to put it away.

"Would you ever come out to the world?" Sam said as he walked.

"I don't know. Would you?" 

 

"I’m a black gay man representing America. Being black alone was enough to make me close my inbo-” CLANK!

Shit! A pot had been knocked over. Steve’s heart raced again, except this time it’s full panic mode.

Sam and Bucky looked at the pantry closet at the same time then shared a look. It was not long until Sam grabbed his shield and slowly started making his way towards the door. 

Fuck. Fuck!

Bucky stayed at the table, watching the door as Sam was about to open it. 

As Sam held the handle, just about when he was going to twist it, the fire alarm went off.

Bucky looked at Sam and they both headed out quickly, Sam taking the shield with him. 

Steve sighed a breath of relief and slowly creaked open the door. He saw the coast was clear so he started sprinting out the kitchen.

“False alarm, guys!” He heard a feminine voice call out. Oh fuck fuck fuck!

Steve stopped in his tracks and looked around in panic, not being able to think about where he would hide next. 

“Tony really needs to fix that alarm.” “Or we need to stop playing photon blast dodge-ball with Carol and Scott’s big ant homies.” Steve heard two voices coming closer, very most likely belonging to Sam and Bucky.

Steve squirmed mentally, worried, because they were clearly going to see h-

Steve was now facing face to face(s) with Sam and Bucky. They paused, looking at Steve, wide eye’d.

Seeing Bucky up close felt so familiar yet so different. He looked so different, yet familiar. It's exactly what he felt when The Winter Soldier had revealed his face in D.C.

It was most likely the hair that was throwing him off, though.

“Uh.. Hi” Steve smiled awkwardly. And at that Bucky ran off to some part of the kitchen. Steve couldn’t catch where he was going because he was too scared to turn. Sam remained stunned. Steve could hear pots rustling in the background. 

“Dude, you look a…” Sam trailed off as he glanced at the huge Steve Rogers mural on the wall that was directly behind Steve, comparing both faces “Lot like Captain America- No! Steve Rogers.” 

Steve was about to say something but he was disrupted by Bucky frantically aiming something at him. 

“Whoa Bucky!-” 

“Shut up!” Bucky waved the pan he had in his hand at him. “How do you know my name!” 

“Buck, It’s me-” “HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME, SKRULL!” Bucky got closer, as if he was going to hit Steve in the head with it, Steve stepped back, holding his hands up in protest. “Skrull?” What is a ‘Skrull’?

“You want to play dumb, huh? CAROL!” Bucky called out to the other room, Steve quickly went and covered his mouth then immediately let go when Bucky bit him. Steve waved his hand in pain. “DON’T FUCKING TOUCH ME!”

“Bucky, we have the knives in the kitchen-” “QUIET, SAM!” Bucky yelled at Sam. Sam just shrugged and went to retrieve a water bottle from the fridge. 

“Why do you look like Steve.” Bucky spoke to Steve again, aiming the pan closer. “I’m Steve! I’m Steve-” ”LIAR!” “I’m Steve, okay!”

“Yea? Prove it. Prove you’re him.” Bucky gestured his pan to the Steve Rogers mural. Steve turned around as he did to look at it.

“Okay….” It was hard for Steve to think when someone was aiming a frying pan at him. “You don’t like cooking because you don’t trust ovens.” Sam laughed after Steve said that then Bucky turn to glare at Sam and the laughing stopped.

“You found that on Wikipedia.” Bucky got closer to Steve, Steve almost stepped back but he didn’t. “That’s on-? Uh okay.. Well… You also hate horses because you feared they would turn on humans at any given moment.”

Sam burst out laughing, and no glare from Bucky could stop it.

“How do I know you’re my Steve” Bucky brought the pan to his face, tone sounding stern but desperate. 

Steve sighed. “I know you secretly hated parties. I know you couldn’t hold your liquor. I know that the reason you dislike the color red so much is because it reminds you of the blood your brothers lost on the battlefield.” 

Bucky stared at Steve in the eyes, pan slowly being lowered. “I know you’re disorganized. I know trains freak you out, and I know you have a strange fascination with mannequins” Steve got closer and the pan laid in Bucky’s hand that was hanging down. “I know that..” Steve rested a palm on Bucky’s cheek and Bucky’s eyes fluttered shut at the touch “You love me and I love you. And I am so sorry I didn’t come back sooner, I’m sorry for doing this to you.”

Bucky felt a tear run down and dropped the pan as he lunged himself into Steve’s arms. 

“Shhh It’s okay Buck. I’m here. I’m so sorry.”

“You asshole. You had me waiting” Bucky said against his neck. “I know. I know.”

“A-hem.” 

They both parted to look at Sam leaning against the counter, knowing nothing about what's going on. 

“Sam-” “How do you know my name?” 

"I uh, know you." 

Bucky and Sam shared perplexed looks.

"... Would you both like an explanation? Y'know.. for all of this?" Steve asked and the two shifted straight into the chairs, waiting for Steve to do so as well.

"Oof. Okay.." Steve pulled a chair out and sat.

"It's a lot, so I'd appreciate no interruptions" Steve started and Sam and Bucky nodded in unison.

"Okay, you were captured by Hydra-" "HYDRA?" both of them blurted out. "Yes. Hydra. I'm from... another dimension, DON'T TALK, LET ME FINISH. I'm from another dimension. Things are bad, very bad. Half of our population is extinct, including you two. But where this all starts is in the 50's. In my dimension, I didn't die during the experiment. It worked, and I became America's super soldier. To make things short, I eventually partook in rescue missions and that's where Buck comes in. Bucky died on a train, he fell. Later I crashed a plane into the ice and next thing I knew I was in the 21st century as Captain America. I was an Avenger." 

Bucky tried to take it all in "I died?"

"Well... I didn't finish. Hydra had found your body when you fell off the train. They decided to make you into their weapon, they gave you a grey metal arm with a red star one it and brainwashed you. They had you under their control, killing people, committing mass shootings, assassinating, all of it. Later, Hydra infiltrated SHIELD-" "They did it in your dimension too?" Sam interjected. "Erm, yes. You already caught them? So early?" Steve asked.

"Tony found the Hydra files."

Of course he did, everyone's so much smarter in this timeline..

"To continue, they sent you to kill me. And I found out there that you were alive, yet not you. You had long hair too, and a beard, it was all too much for me. I refused to fight you, I couldn't say the same about you, but you were under their control. It only took me to say I was with you til' the end of the line and you broke out of the spell. Later you were framed for killing the King of Wakanda and the Avengers fought eachother, a lot more is missing to this story but it doesn't.. Matter. I don't want to talk about it or my mistakes." 

"Wow." Sam, wide eyes, said. "That's a loooot to take in." 

"Bucky?" Steve watched Bucky rub his forehead. "So you're telling me, I tried to kill you? And you were going to let me?" Bucky finally spoke.

"... Yes." 

"Why?" "Because I didn't want to fight you. You were not you yet you still were you." 

"But everyone could have died!" Bucky got up from the table. Steve was stunned staring at Bucky blankly. "You were going to let me help murder everyone because you loved me? That was selfish Steve!" 

Steve didn't respond. He didn't know how. He knew he was selfish. He's always been selfish. Especially recalling to when he hid the secret about Tony's parents. Selfish.

"Buck.. I have to go." Steve looked at the clock and realized he's wasted way too much time.

Bucky frowned and walked away from the table. "Why are you here anyway?" Sam asked. 

"We need the Tesseract. We need all the Infinity Stones to undo our mess."

"Down the hall." "To the Tesseract?" "The lab is down the hall." 

Steve smiled. "Thanks, Sam." He got up to hug him tightly for a moment. 

"Do you.. know me in that other universe?" Sam patted Steve's back awkwardly.

"You were the most loyal person there for me. You risked your whole life for me and my happiness again and again. You are a hero, Sam. When nobody else would side with my, you would be at my side, even if it did not benefit you whatsoever. In fact, it would just put you in more danger. I appreciate you so much, and I would not ever think twice about giving you the shield. You are Captain America, Sam. You deserve it." 

Sam was overwhelmed. He took Steve's hand in a grip "Honored to be at your service, Cap." 

Steve smiled and gripped. "Honored to be at yours as well, Cap. Take care, Sam. And take care of Bucky for me, will ya?" 

"Of course. Always." 

"Wait" Steve got closer to Sam to say in a low voice so Bucky wouldn't hear "How did Bucky lose his arm?" 

"He fell off a train. When he landed on the snow he was conscious enough to crawl back to safety. Later on, they got him a vibranium arm that was gifted from Wakanda and he saved a whole bunch of dudes from Hydra. He became a national hero. Later on he got sick and it was incurable at the time. They froze him until they could find the cure and now in 2012, Nick Fury had him thawed out because they found the antivirus." Sam explained. Steve raises his brows, surprised.

"They call him White Wolf, it's what the Wakandans called him. They volunteered to preserve him and give him therapy. They were the ones that cured him and had him meet up with Nick Fury." 

"Why do they call him White Wolf?" Steve asked.

"The Wakandan children would joke and call him that because he is white and scruffy. The Princess of Wakanda picked it up and she referred to him that way. When Bucky signed on to be an Avenger he made that his name." 

"Ah." Steve looked down. "Well, I gotta go…"

"Yeah, go. Go save my ass." Sam playfully punched him on the chest, already comfortable with this man he's never met.

"I love you, Sam. Goodbye." Steve held his shoulder before letting go and proceeding towards Bucky.

"Hey Bucky-" "Go, your time's running out. Just like the last time I saw you." Bucky looked away.

"Bucky, please not now. Don't be in that mood. I love you, and I wouldn't be here risking everything to talk to you right now." 

"That's the issue, Steve. You're risking everything for me. That's wrong." Bucky yelled at him.

"Buck, let's please not argue about that now. I have to go, but I promise this will not be the last time you see me, you hear? I'm going to fix things, like I promised." Steve tried to take his hand but Bucky shoved him off.

"Just go." 

"Buck-" 

"GO!"

Steve clenched his jaw, he had nothing else to do but leave. Bucky was mad at him and all he had to do was just show him he cared instead on insisting. 

Steve gave one more look at Bucky, who was ignoring him with his arms crossed staring at the floor, and let himself out. Before continuing to the hallway he gave one last nod to Sam and glanced to Bucky who was watching him but lowered his head quickly when he noticed. Bucky brought his eyes up to intertwine with Steve's and Steve mouthed one last "I love you." 

Bucky mouthed "I love you back" faintly.

"Til' the end of the line, Buck. I promise." 

"I'll be fine" Bucky obviously was about to cry. Steve had to turn away because he didn't want to see that.

And at that, Steve turned to start walking down the hall. He could hear Bucky quietly sniffling and coughing and Sam rushing to support him. Steve felt awful.

Steve stood in front of the lab. Whoa. It's huge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yall liked the easter egg? (: 
> 
> don't forget to follow my twitter, I need the clout @the2017oscars
> 
> You can follow my tumblr too but im already a popular marvel blog so i'm not begging for your follow
> 
> I will post the Thor fix it soon!

**Author's Note:**

> "No matter what timeline, Steve knew it was all going to be okay. Their love is so strong that if it cannoy work out here then they had to try again somewhere else" 
> 
> And 
> 
> "Despite, being in a whole other dimension, their love was so potent that Bucky even feels it here too" 
> 
> In the first chapter are directly from Naf with just a change in words. Both beautiful statements ((:
> 
> I'm going to try and write Thor, Loki, and Val's ending as well (: It's very sweet esp between Thor and Loki (not thorki, if you're thorki fuck off)


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